One man's science
by Elendilmir
Summary: McCoy was an anachronism. Spock was unwary. McLeod and Kirk were themselves. And I didn't know how else to express the (im)possibility of (idea of a) post-probabilistic world (I still don't understand what does it really mean, only that it cant' be ruled away). Inspired by Nate Silver's "The Signal and the Noise".


I'm reading Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise. That's why.

While we live in a probabilistic - and thus kind of close to Vulcan in spirit - world now, the world of Star Trek _should be_ post-probabilistic. But instead ST Universe is backwards... and who's more suitable to wax poetics about this than Methos? He's rude in his own head, I must warn you.

It's not a story.

Regardless of any additions to my other fics, this will be the end to the series.

It is a truth most underappreciated that to Immortals physics is a science more interesting then biology. When you know as surely as Sun-is-your-God that secrets of life and death aren't same in different cases, you get to see the Bigger Picture.

There's also something to be said about Not seeing the Bigger Picture - after all, almost every Immortal until Descartes offered his most famous and ridiculous notion - well, almost every Immortal didn't ask "what do you mean, 'therefore I exist?'" - they knew. (Some thought wherefores were magical beasts with mauling proclivities - dangerous things).

Methos, though, hardly ever could afford to not be scholarly and studied whatever readings he got his hands on (... yes, Alexandrian library lived on in a very few selected works) and physics he Understood.

He was there when Absolute became Relative which later became Probabilistic.

He was there when Vulcans came and started spouting numbers of the possibility of meeting your dead grandfarther at Christmas (to be fair, Vulcans were sort of misinformed about his predecessors but can something be more or less absurd?).

Pointy-eared bastards sold their Way of Thinking to everyone (yes, even Romulans and Klingons) by teaching them equations - clever, clever buggers. Er .. shame about the Klingons.

He was there when Men flew to the stars far, far away and met some impossible combinations of Living Matter, Cultures, and Stupidity (or all of the above).

Therefore he was very dissatisfied with (being) a certain Dr. McCoy. The man was an absolute anachronism. Worse than Kronos. 'Bones' dealt in absolutes (aside from whiskey and from teasing First Officers it was too dastardly Scotland for him... actually, scratch the whiskey). 'Bones' had to save everyone. Methos couldn't believe that it was this version of 5K+ Experience that he offered the Universe.

(Duncan couldn't either. Insufferable prat. Got to boldly go as a Red shirt with his hero complex untouched).

Actually, Duncan... that was a thought. The Highlander still was hopelessly Relativistic (hard-won progress; perhaps he was afraid of absorbing other paradigms after having so much trouble at this front). Duncan didn't care about Vulcan view of the world and clashed with anyone. Chivalrous, impossible Man That Lived (in spite of the Game, not of the You-Know-Who). A friend who knew McCoy's true nature.

Duncan, who after their five-year mission was concluded went to Cassandra's last retreat and wasn't heard of since.

It was Possible, not Relative Mcleod forgave Methos for his little Oops on the Edge of Forever. Because Mcleod was a Good person, and his forgiveness could only be Absolute.

If chancy.

Perhaps he was... learning? and Methos... still Taught (with no Game he somewhat forgot the

feeling of complete dependability of an Immortal pupil. Survival is a science in itself).

Although with Jim Kirk as a friend one didn't get rusty in Survival.

Jim Kirk made his own decisions and was unlike any Methos' previous apprentice.

Now, at least, The Oldest had a few hours to himself while his Golden Captain struggled to explain the entirety of his five years in command in a single bout of debriefings. That was the plan, anyway.

Surely Kirk won't need medical attention and a rescue for a few... measly...

No, impossible.

Then there was Spock.

It was anyone's guess if Vulcan recalibrated his probability-ascertaining abilities after having served under Kirk. Or even if he did it scientifically.

Or if having two Really Quickly Regenerating magnets for troubles around did Spock in.

Or if Uhura smiled at him one time too many.

But Spock lately refrained from Absolute Certainty even in discussing the Law of Gravitation (well, all right, Gods...) or Probabilistic Idiocy in berating McCoy's treatments (of Kirk but still).

If it were anyhow possible, Methos would say that Spock became McLeod's student. All is Relative, smile and wave, fire at will and let the Logic be with you.

No, impossible.

At least he could have a few beers here, with Joe's grave, and be himself for a moment.


End file.
